


The Magic Names

by MeredithBrody



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Minor Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-18 22:45:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1445599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeredithBrody/pseuds/MeredithBrody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A.G. tells Ruby he knows the names and she decides to take him up on that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Magic Names

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PinkAngel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkAngel/gifts), [foreveranna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreveranna/gifts).



> I didn't mean to ship this but now I do and I'm sorry.

She shook her head as another name was shouted after her, one that wasn’t even close to one she would have picked. The lieutenant was cute, but he had never been a long-term thought. Not for her at least. She really needed to start being sensible now. It was time to settle down. She was in the motions of buying out this place, setting up her future near the Starfleet complex, so she needed to think more about settling down now. She was still thinking that as another name was shouted after her. “Move along, Reed.” She replied and shook her head, waving a hand off. Hoping that she’d be able to head off much more.

“Ruby.” He tried to follow her, but the bar opening was in the way, and a high-level Commander was stood by it already glaring at Reed. Sometimes Ruby was glad of her friendship with some of the higher ranked officers, it put the junior officers in their places when she needed them to be watched.

As it was, she just realised it was time to actually tell him that she was done playing his game. “It was fun, but you’re not what I’m looking for. You knew that all along.” She smiled as he frowned good naturedly and blended back in with the crowd. AG just looked at her as she loaded the glasses into the machine, she looked back up and saw his eyes still on her. “What?”

“He didn’t guess those magic words?” He asked after a second, and she just shook her head as laughed again.

It said a lot that it was becoming a standing joke between those who had known her for years. It wasn’t that her ask was unreasonable, it really wasn’t, but just that nobody had even tried to figure it out by doing anything more than guessing. Maybe that wasn’t all that surprising, considering the amount of time that people actually spent trying to get to know her was minimal. “Nobody has even come close.”

“I know them.” AG pronounced after a few minutes, and looked proud of himself as he did.

After she studied him for a moment and she realised he wasn’t kidding. She didn’t quite believe him because he hadn’t said anything in the last few years. They’d known each other for a long time and he’d never said a single thing. “You don’t.” She shook her head vigorously and pulled a disbelieving expression.

AG didn’t back down for a second and instead just smiled and shrugged. “I do but I never thought you’d be interested in me so I never said anything. You have plenty of suitors.” He waved around the bar, and she was surprised that he had even noticed, especially when most of the time it was something she tried to ignore. But maybe that was the problem, either the having of the admirers or the ignoring of them. Especially since they didn't normally get to know her, not the way AG had at least. So yes, that was probably the problem. “Well, can I try at least?”

She thought about it for a second. AG was right, she probably wouldn’t have thought about it coming from him, but there was no reason not to give him a chance. “OK. Tell me one of them and I’ll give you a chance, one date. Then at the end of that date if I enjoy myself I’ll ask you for the other.” There was a chance she might enjoy his company outside of her workplace and him generally letting off steam either with his team or on his own. There was no reason not too. “What’s the boys name?”

“Mark. After your favourite uncle when you were little.” He answered, a look of complete confidence on his face.

Ruby’s jaw almost dropped to the floor. It wasn’t a hard or unusual name, it wasn’t even uncommon, but nobody had ever guessed it and nobody had ever gotten the reason right as well. She’d probably only spoken about being young once or twice, and never directly to him, but she’d spoken to Erika or Jon or Veronica while he’d been present. “How the hell did you know that.”

“I’ve listen to you over the years. We all drink here often enough.” He waved in the direction of the corner table, where she could see Erika and Jon. She could also see why AG had come to stand at the bar, the other two were clearly having one of their ‘debates’ which normally excluded the rest of the universe for an hour or so. It must have been lonely to be the third wheel in that situation.

She still wasn’t sure if she’d really spoken about it enough, or if that was how AG had figured it out, but how else could he have known? She’d never told anyone the reason, and some had been around her far more, including a few mutual friends. “Commander Tucker never figured it out.”

“He obviously didn’t listen enough.” AG replied with another satisfied smile.

This time she couldn’t help but return it. It was strange to think that she’d been expecting him to fall on his ass and make a ridiculous comment about how he was pulling her leg, instead not only had he been right, but he’d helped her gain some insight into her own feelings. “I think I owe you a date now.”

He shook his head and laughed, clearly feeling a little self-conscious. “I was just kidding around, you know. I don’t hold you to that.”

“AG, you have gotten to know me well enough to have guessed one of the names and nobody else has even tried the ‘getting to know me’ part.” She reached out a hand and rubbed his arm gently with a smile. She’d just talked herself into thinking this was a good idea, he wasn’t backing out on her now. “Lets get dinner. I have a day off on Wednesday.”

“It’s a test week, you have met Erika Hernandez, right?” He nodded over his shoulder again, and that at least told what it was Jon and Erika were fighting about.

She shook her head, she wasn’t going to let him blame ir on work or something else. “Get her to give you one night off. Or talk her boyfriend into taking her out as well.”

“Double date?” AG smiled, and it was clear he was kidding with that idea. Somehow she was fairly sure he had enough of the two of them at work. But she wasn’t going to let him off, who knew when she’d next have the day off, and if she had to plan around his insane schedule they would literally never go out.

“With those two, not a cat’s hell in chance. Wednesday night, AG.” She gave the last as an order, then stepped up and kissed him on the cheek, pulling two glasses up as AG walked back toward the table looking ever so slightly confused, and passing Erika on his way as the Commander came to stand at the bar with her empty glasses.

It was also obvious that her keen eyes hadn’t missed the exchange before her. “What went on there?” She asked, and Ruby had to debate for a moment. Should she say something or should she hold it in. Given the fact it was a test week, maybe letting Erika know what was going on might help.

“I think I just asked AG on a date.” She commented then just smiled, almost certain that Erika wouldn’t judge. Considering who Erika lived with she couldn’t really pass much judgement anyway. “Can you give him a break on Wednesday night?” She asked, even if it wasn’t necessarily possible, Ruby would feel better asking and doing all she could.

“We’ve a test on Friday, but I’ll tell Jon and he can reign me in if I go overboard.” That would be helpful, though whether Jon could keep it quiet was something Ruby wasn’t sure about. She trusted Erika to find a way to keep him quiet though. She didn’t want to know how the other woman might do it, that would be way too much information. Erika was obviously still thinking about what was going on. “AG won’t say anything to either of us until after the date.”

“Keep it quiet then.” Ruby advised, only have jokingly.

“Of course. Do I want to know why?” Erika asked with a knowing smirk, she probably already had an idea.

“He picked the name.” She pronounced seriously, and it was clear it took Erika a minute to process that information.

“Whoa.” Erika blinked a couple of times then smiled widely, making it clear there was an understanding and maybe a little silent promise that she would give AG the night.

Ruby was glad her friend at least understood the significance. Erika was one of the few people who knew the names she’d picked after the two of them had ended up drunk together, along with a few others. “Exactly, what can I get you?” Might as well get back to work, rather than focus on this.

She looked down at the list on the bar, Ruby didn’t have any idea why considering for 8 years they’d always had the same. “A red wine and two bourbon.” Erika ordered with a smile, and it was kind of obvious that Erika still wanted to ask questions, but at least she knew better than to ask after that. Unlike Jonathan, who would still have been pestering her.

“I’ll bring them over.” She smiled and patted Erika’s arm. Ruby wasn’t really sure how this had all happened, but seeing as she was ready to settle down and the people who had actually taken time to get to know her were very very small. AG was a kind man, she knew that, and he’d always treated her well and made her laugh. It was definitely worth a chance.


End file.
